Click on photographs for a superior image (Nikon F 2 and Fuji Film taken in 1992)

Approaching Auschwitz on the Ferry in 1992

Winter sunset at Auschwitz 1992

Crematorium remains at Birkenau 1992

Zyklon B crystals Majdanek Camp Museum 1992

Detail at the Children's Memorial at the Jewish Cemetery, Warsaw

Unkempt Jewish Cemetery at Lesko, south-east Poland

The compression of time into an instant image. Birkenau - the 'Little Wood'

[Behind the main Birkenau camp there were two more crematoria, Krems IV and V. They were considerably smaller than II, and III but were still of sufficient size to kill many people each day.

The area was cordoned off with barbed wire. Branches of leaves were woven thickly into the wire to deaden noises and shield the crematoria and gas chambers from view. The first view is of the path leading to Krematorium V that began operations on April 4, 1943. It had a cremation capacity of 768 corpses in a 24-hour period. The ruins of the structure are at the end of a path. People were either brought here by truck or were forced to walk about a mile to what has become known as 'The Little Wood'.]

Ghosts of Warsaw inhabit Próżna Street

On this day you may wish to read my description of and reflections on a rather gruelling and bleak visit to Auschwitz/Birkenau in the early 1990s (before it was sanitized as a tourist attraction) from my literary travel book on Poland A Country in the Moon : Travels in Search of The Heart of Poland (London 2008).

Words are insufficient to confront what happened there on any rational human level. Can faith in our human race carry us through a realization of the implications for post-war history and the ubiquitous disrespect for human life that has been its consequence?

There is such a danger that the familiarity of this profoundly evil conception has made too many people indifferent, or as we have seen, irrational and self-serving in expressing denial that the Holocaust occurred at all. Such men are creating yet another opportunity for nameless aggression towards our fellow man and the incomprehensible cruelty and murder of untold numbers of innocent children. We seem in 2015 to have regressed to living once again through the Old Testament in certain parts of the world.

The great author W.G. Sebald, one of the most original voices of our time, believed that we as 'civilized' human beings have not yet been able, or more frighteningly, even desired, to come to any mature spiritual or moral terms with what actually happened during those terrible, almost unfathomable years of insanity. I agree with him completely and until this happens the barbarians who have already breached the walls remain a murderous force within the castle grounds.

And no, I am not Jewish, Polish or even particularly religious, simply human.The recent photographs and film of ISIS atrocities have a ghastly familiarity do they not?The metaphor changes, the landscape and cultures hosting atrocities alter, unexpectedly religion enters the frame but the terrifying and brutal inhumanity of man against man remains the same. The price of freedom seems always to be unconscionably high.A Country in the Moon : Travels in Search of The Heart of Poland (London 2008)

A chance to 'discover' another work by the once famous Polish composer,
Aleksander Tansman (1897-1986), once considered as important as Szymanowski. The
magnificent violin concerto we heard earlier in the festival cemented him in my
mind as an outstanding composer inexplicably rather overlooked in the West at
least by popular opinion. The cultural iron curtain perhaps operating as a psychological
and prejudicial barrier once again. Tansman was a distinguished Polish composer
born in Łódz and a virtuoso pianist. After further studies in Warsaw he moved
to Paris where his less than conservative composing style was appreciated by Stravinsky
and Ravel. He also had a highly successful concert career as a pi…

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11CHOPIN'S MANOR 8.00 PMPiano RecitalSERGEI BABAYANThis distinguished musician and pianist requires little introduction. He has appeared at the most famous international music festivals with all the great orchestras of the world under the most renowned conductors, at the finest music venues as well as having been awarded most of the glittering prizes. For me his most outstanding claim to fame is his close relationship with the composer and pianist Daniil Trifonov as teacher, guide, philosopher and friend.

I was unfortunately unable to attend this recital and recordings of it are unavailable.SATURDAY, AUGUST 11 CHOPIN’S MANOR 4:00 PM Piano recital ERIC LU For
such a young man Eric Lu has achieved great things which …

Initially I think it interesting and instructive to briefly examine the rather exotic Polish-Turkish relations of the past. You may have already read this on a previous post but it remains extremely relevant and you may have already come across it.

Over the centuries this fascinating and involved subject has had a profound influence on Polish history. This was especially true in the 17th century at the spectacular Siege and subsequent Battle of Vienna (12th September 1683) that witnessed the victory of the Polish Husaria or Winged Cavalry under the command of King Jan Sobieski over the vastly superior military forces of the Ottoman Empire under the Grand Vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha. Historic relations between the two countries were initiated around 1414 with a Polish mission to the Ottoman Empire. Many wars followed over territorial claims in the Back Sea region. This was balanced in a way by supportive collaboration against the Habsburgs and the emerging Grand Duchy of Musco…

Australian author and classical musician.
He seriously studied the piano and harpsichord in London for many years.
His piano teacher was Eileen Ralf, a former professor at the Royal Academy of Music and the inspiring teacher of the great Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer.
His harpsichord teacher was Maria Boxall, editor of the keyboard works of the English Baroque composer and organist John Blow as well as a renowned Harpsichord Method.
He yearns for the South Pacific islands but through a number of unlikely events and coincidences beached up on the cold shores of the Baltic.